Parents Weekend

Good evening! It is actually pretty late here, but I haven’t had the chance to write in a while (and tomorrow is going to be a pretty busy day with all of the homework I have to do!), so I thought that I would update the blog tonight. Well, since the last time I wrote, it’s been quite an interesting week. I had so many ideas running through my head that I wasn’t quite sure which one I was going to write about. But I decided that the best place to start was today’s events:

Any affiliates with Union College know that this weekend was Homecoming. . .Also known as Family or Parents Weekend. So, for the past couple of days, parents and alumni have been flooding the campus and various events have been going on to welcome them here. There were horse-drawn carriage rides, tours of Schenectady, the football game and pep rally, many different organizations’ receptions, among with other school-spirit-oriented events. And for the first time in my three years here, I played a part in these proceedings.

Most Saturday mornings, I would have woken up at 8 a.m. and had practice until about 11 or so. But today, I instead was part of a presentation for the Office of International Programs. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the experience, but it actually ended up being a good one. I had the chance talk about my term abroad in Germany, learned about some of the other opportunities open to students, improved my public speaking skills, and hopefully gained some more support for the study abroad programs (in case you’re interested, check out our blogs on the Union website; mine is the one under “Germany!”). Plus, I got to see my parents a the whole day. So, all and all it was a good time!

But seeing my family was also a bit of a bittersweet experience. In the hours I spent with my mom and dad, I was reminded of all of the fond memories we’ve shared, but also the loved ones I have left behind in my search for independence in college. I was so much looking forward to seeing some bit of familiarity this weekend that I forgot how much things have changed in the two plus years since I first left home. And it put me in a bit of a funk.

As a junior undergraduate, I am experiencing a time in my life when everything is changing and I’m left unsure and sometimes insecure with my place in life. By now, my classmates and I have already experienced two years of college–two years of memories, two years of friends, two years of classes, two years of being away from home. But this also means that we still have two years to go before entering the “real world.” But the fact that we are now (more than) halfway through our college experience is actually a pretty daunting realization. Because as much as freshman and sophomore year had been fun and carefree, they were experienced by changes in personality, mindset, and interest. Through the course of the past two years, I have changed my exact major about a thousand times, called my mom to ask for advice at least a million, and questioned life about a billion. Along with that, I have laughed for hours on end, met innumerable amazing people, and had the time of my life.

So life, as always, has been a series of ups and downs. But now, I am a junior. An upperclassman. Soon to reach the two decade mark. I’m young. But also getting old! And know I actually have to start to think about thinking about the serious things in life. Like the future. And life after college. How scary is that?!

Basically, what I have realized is that you shouldn’t worry too much. I try to tuck these things into the back of my mind and address them as needed, but sometimes, when the situation gets a little too stressful, all of the scary things in life tend to float to the surface of my consciousness. And I realize that life is changing. That I am now closer to being a part of the working world than being a kid living at home and going to high school. And that makes me a bit sad. It makes me miss those days with my parents and my brother. Those times when things weren’t so confusing. Those days where the only thing I had to worry about was…nothing. Just being happy, I guess. And that’s why parents weekend really threw me for a loop. Because as much as I loved seeing my family, I became wrapped up in feelings of nostalgia rather than living in the moment and thinking warmly about all of the happiness the future can bring.

So, what I have essentially been doing is thinking and living in terms of “Yesterday,” [where] all my troubles seemed so far away.” In times of stress, I seek comfort in happiness of the past, only to feel further uncertainty of what the future beholds. But what I should really be realizing is that I’ve made it this far, so there’s no reason that I should worry that I won’t enjoy the next two years of college and find some sort of happiness in the many years ahead. I guess it sometimes can be intimidating to consider the limitless future and all that it can behold. But the one good thing I and all of my fellow juniors should remember is that there are people out there who care about us, like our parents, and that we will have support in the many decisions we will make over the next couple of years and beyond. It’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the simple things in life, but all that it takes to make you appreciate them can be that farewell hug as you watch your parents drive off into the sunset. Oh life…Guess I will end the post on that note. ‘Til next time: Be happy, be healthy, be young at heart!